Fab 5 Friday...

All I can say is TGIF! We've survived another week. Okay...survived may be a bit melodramatic, but I don't think we've reached the "thriving" stage yet either. Everyone is still working to find their way, trying to find their place, hoping to find their tribe.

I'll admit that I'm still trying to find my "tribe." I did meet a couple of fabulous people this week and the conversation seemed to flow very naturally. We'll see where things go, but I have a good feeling.

So what does the Fab 5 entail this week? Nothing that earth-shattering really, but let's get into it, shall we?

1. Soccer Tryouts. The boys had the first of two soccer tryouts last weekend. I'm not sure what's going to happen with this, but they certainly gave it their best. I have my fingers crossed that they will make it, but we have discussed the fact that there are other soccer options and they can always try again next year. I think Caleb is a bit like me and knows that this is not a sure thing and that there were some really outstanding kids, whereas Grayson is convinced that he's in. (You've got to love his optimism.) Anywho...we'll know soon enough!

2. Fiber Optic Internet. I could've kissed the man who installed our fiber optic last week! A big, ol' smoocheroo! It is fast! Very fast! It is even fast using our VPN! It is even fast when everyone is on a device with multiple televisions streaming Hulu and Netflix and YouTube! This tech junkie (and my family of tech junkies) are all very happy! Long Live Fiber Optic Internet!

3. Resumes. Seriously?! I don't think there is anything that sucks much more than revising a resume and sending it out in hopes of attaining a job. And let's add to it that you want to work remotely from Warsaw, Poland. Blah! But, I did revise my CV (and this is why it makes the list). And, I did apply for some jobs. BUT, I'm not holding my breath. If anyone has any leads for me, please feel free to send them my way!

4. School. So the kids seem happy at school. I'm going to be volunteering 1 morning per week in the PTO store and who knows what else. (I'm still testing the waters to see where I want my level of participation to be.) We had a meeting for Caleb's big 4 day/3night field trip and parents night for the elementary school. Next week we have teacher conferences and the big fall PTO BBQ is coming up. So school is busy. Caleb will be playing basketball in the Wednesday/Sunday league and Grayson has decided to participate in choir. (Please note that Grayson has been totally honest that he is joining choir for the social aspect of things.) Overall, you can be as busy (or as not busy) as you choose to be. And I'm sure that after the activities fair this afternoon we'll find some more things to be involved in. (I'm hoping there might be someone to help me continue with my golfing!)

5. Tae Kwon Do. Ah, yes...I went to taekwondo yesterday. What a truly humbling experience. This will challenge me on two of the things I suck at - flexibility and balance. But, I think that makes it a good complement to CrossFit. As much as I love lifting heavy things, I'm not a young twenty-something anymore. And flexibility and balance are critical to the aging process. (Holy crap! That sounds like I'm about 75! The "aging process"?!?) So, I will continue to challenge myself. And Master Kang will see me again next week.

Not sure what we have on the agenda for tomorrow. We talked about going to see some 14th century Gothic castle that is about 25 minutes away, but then the day-to-day things of life may take over and that may have to wait. I do know that Saturday I must book our fall break trip to Milan or we're going to be spending the week here in Warsaw come October - and that will not make me happy.

Sunday is filled with sports. Soccer in the morning for both boys and then basketball in the afternoon for Caleb. I know one child who will be exhausted Sunday evening. He'll probably be asleep before his head hits the pillow!

Hope you've had a good week wherever you are! And thanks to those who have been checking in on us! It's much appreciated!

Fab 5 Friday...

It's been a week full of deep breaths...school starting, wifi not working, checking out a new CrossFit box, the normal struggles of moving to a place where you don't speak the language and you're not exactly sure what you're doing or why you're here. But, we've all made it to Friday and for that I am thankful.

I contemplated skipping the Fab 5 this week as I was struggling a little bit with my attitude...which I know is normal when you move. I was not feeling a whole lot of love for Poland this week, but as with all things, I'm sure time will make it better. I must keep reminding myself we've only been here a little over two weeks. And, while I was longing for the familiarity of KL and the warm smiles of my friends there, I did force myself to do a few things that were out of my comfort range in hopes of improving my attitude.

So...there are some good things that happened this week...and I must bring those things to the forefront because we all know that attitude is everything and I'm going to keep mine on the positive end of things.

1. The Kids Started School. Woohoo! That big hurdle of the first day of school is over. I knew my kids were anxious about this (although they both denied it as we walked to school on Monday). But, with a forced smile, they both walked into their new classrooms and were met eagerly by their new teachers and classmates. By the end of the day, they both told me about new friends they had made and things that they had learned about their school. Caleb has a really great 3 night field trip coming up that he is excited about and Grayson is thrilled to death that one of his friends is Korean and is hoping that this young man knows where he can get some Korean BBQ here in Poland. Grayson loves his Korean BBQ!

2. CrossFit. I went to a box on Tuesday. This is a HUGE step for this introvert! Going to someplace where she doesn't know a soul and doesn't speak the language. But, I did it. And while the box was fine, I'm still not sure it was the perfect match for me. And, maybe I'm being too picky. But, it wasn't a super friendly environment and the coaching was...well, average. I've been thinking about what I'm going to do about CrossFit and for now, I think it's going to sit on the backburner. This doesn't mean I'm giving it up. My home workouts are usually CrossFit based and I have a ton of equipment at home...so I'm not really lacking there. But, I find that each time I move there is a slight re-invention of what workouts look like for me. Next week I'm going to try Tae Kwon Do. Maybe that will be something I enjoy. You never know unless you try!

3. Sweatshirts and Cooler Weather. This week we have the weather I was told we would have! The nights are cool and the days are in the 70's with sunshine and a strong breeze. I have the windows open and it's so nice to have fresh air flowing through the house. I still laugh at the boys in the morning when they declare "It's cold out!" - when in actuality, it's 60 degrees Fahrenheit and just gorgeous. But, sweatshirts are worn on the way to school and hopefully, they haven't become too soft after living in Malaysia for 2 years.

Heading to school with their hoodies!

4. New Parents Coffee. I don't do well with the whole being new thing. The first few weeks of the move are definitely the hardest for me and I'm not a big joiner of groups or clubs. But, I forced myself out of my little box and attended the newcomers coffee at school. I found a few things that interested me and it's always a good idea to get the lay of the land. I will be volunteering one morning each week in the PTO store and joined the American Friends of Warsaw in hopes of doing some volunteer work and joining some of their tours of Warsaw and the surrounding areas.

5. Ambassador's Farewell/Greeting. The U.S. Embassy here in Poland is getting a new ambassador and somehow we received an invitation to the reception saying goodbye to the old one and welcoming the new one at the ambassador's residence. WHAT? We received an invitation?! 9 times out of 10 I would come up with some excuse to not go to these events, but my curiosity definitely got the better of  me and we went. Come on! I've never seen the inside of an ambassador's house! So Blaine put on his suit and I changed out of my yoga pants and away we went!

We clean up pretty well!

After waiting in line 25 minutes to do the meet and greet with the outgoing ambassador dude, we grabbed a beer, enjoyed a few appetizers and listened to the jazz trio. This is really not our gig and since we are just so new to Poland, we didn't know a soul there. I believe I saw a few folks from the new parents coffee at school, but I didn't know any names - so we just drank our beer and laughed that we should start taking some selfies with some of the dignitaries in attendance. I know that the Peruvian ambassador really would've appreciated a selfie with us and me posting it on my blog! But, alas, I forgot my selfie stick! Next time!

So there's the Fab 5 for the week. The boys have their first (of two) soccer tryouts this weekend. If you could send some good thoughts their way that would be much appreciated. We're not quite sure they're ready for this level of play, but they want to give it a go. I totally love their "We'll give it a shot!" attitude!

Enjoy the weekend!

Appendix 2 - Vehicles and Driving...

So, our new school hands out to new parents a bound spiral publication which is chock full of awesome information - everything from doctors who speak English to the name of a place where you can go wakeboarding to someone who can teach you how to quilt - should you so desire. It's very comprehensive (and much appreciated).

Last night I started glancing through it to actually see what all was in it. And of course, there was a section...in fact, an entire 4 page appendix, entitled: Vehicles and Driving.

Driving is always an interesting topic among those of us living abroad. Do you drive? Do you have a driver? How were the drivers where you were last living? What side of the road did you drive on?

Now, I'll be honest that the driving in Kuala Lumpur drove me absolutely insane. There are many blogs where I ranted against the driving skills of those people living in Malaysia. I tried to drive as little as possible. (I believe my two year old Myvi had less than 6000km when I left in June.) And, I was looking forward to driving here in Poland. During our short time here in April, things looked much calmer...although I will say that at the time I was being driven by some Polish taxi driver and a very nice real estate agent - so I didn't pay that much attention.

This week, I've started venturing out in my own car...a Chevy Opel - standard. (Yes, I do remember how to drive a stick shift. And, I'm very thankful that my dad taught me this skill and that my very first car was a Dodge Neon standard. Everyone should learn how to drive a standard. Everyone!)

Anyways, I was reading the "Vehicles and Driving" section in the newcomers book last night - just to make sure there wasn't anything I was missing. For example, I didn't know that my headlights need to be on at all times when driving. Whoops! Missed that earlier this week. Or, that buses leaving a bus stop have the right of way. (They're bigger than me - so I've always adhered to this rule.)

But, there were some GREAT things in this appendix that I'd like to share with you - some just for giggles, others in case you happen to be driving in this great country. Oh, who am I kidding? Mainly for giggles.

Please keep in mind that all things in bold are written as they exactly appear in the booklet!

Watch out for horse drawn vehicles, especially during harvest months. Now, I've yet to see a horse-drawn vehicle, but you can be damn sure that I will be on the lookout for them!

Sadly, a large proportion of drivers in Poland drive very badly and at excessively fast speeds. Really? I'm leaving one country with horrific drivers, only to come to another?! What are the chances? A little research has informed me that Poland has one of the highest rates of road death in Europe and is towards the top of the list globally. (Malaysia still beats Poland in number of road deaths - #17 in the world. Way to crack the Top 20 Malaysia!) In fact, I even found a YouTube series entitled "Bad Drivers of Poland." Next time we move, screw researching what school my children will attend or where we're going to live...I'm checking out the country's driving safety record.

Be careful to look out for unlit bicycles, wandering drunks, and horse-drawn wagons in country areas. I have to say I read this one and was rather pleased to know that the parents at school are encouraged to look out for wandering drunks. (Not that I've ever been known to have too much to drink...)

NOTE: Prostitutes can often be seen along Polish highways, waiting in lay by parking or in the most isolated wooded locations. Don't mistake these women for hitch-hikers. Just all around good information to have! (I made sure Blaine read this section - twice!)

There are rules against using your horn in Poland, so try to avoid it at all times - it's actually illegal. Crap! I'm moving from the land of constant horn use to one where it's illegal! This may be a hard habit to break! Thankfully, no where did I read that cursing was not allowed. Let the expletives fly!

So I am thankful that I spent the last two years honing my defensive driving skills in Malaysia. And, I hope this little informational blog on Polish driving has brought a smile to your face because I certainly was chuckling last night as I read all these little tidbits.

Fab 5 comes at you tomorrow! I hope you're all having a great week - wherever you are!

Fab 5 Friday...Returns!

Greetings and salutations everyone! I am happy to announce the return of Fab 5 Friday after its annual summer hiatus.

It's been a lazy week here in Poland...honest and truly. It's been hot, a lot of folks are on holiday, and we've just been chillin' at the house. But, Monday starts school and then we'll fall into some sense of routine and all will be well.

But, you're here for the Fab 5 - so let's get after it!

1. House Inspection. Our lake house/cottage/camp (I still need to figure out how to refer to it) was inspected on Tuesday - and everything went fine. My dad is large and in charge for this whole endeavor of buying a house while we're in Poland and he's doing a right fine job. He met the inspector, our realtor and the owner at the house on Tuesday. The great thing about this was meeting the owner. Dad says he is a nice guy and was able to provide some insight on the house. The inspector's report came back and there are just a few very minor things that could use some attention. So, looks like we're moving ahead. I'm already planning what our first projects need to be in future years...it will be a slow and steady process to have our dream lake house/cottage/camp, but in a few years it will all come together.

2. A Trip to Auchan. So last Friday night we decided to go grocery shopping at Auchan which is the HUGE grocery store here in Poland. Let's talk sensory overload! Very loud and people EVERYWHERE! And we were blown away by some of what we saw. Multiple, very long aisles of dairy products. (I don't think I've ever seen so much yougurt in my life! EVER!) Meat, sausage, chicken, sausage, sausage and more sausage as far as you could see. I spent my time trying to translate the various types of kielbasa in hopes of finding one to use in our spaghetti sauce. I do think we finally picked the right one - it certainly had a lot of garlic in it! (Although, I did translate one other that said it contained peppermint. Blech! I will not be trying that one!) And of course, beer...lots of beer. Shelves and shelves  and shelves of beer. We were able to find good ol' Miller Genuine Draft (the only American brew we saw) and Singha...so both were quickly grabbed off the shelves and thrown in the cart. I won't be doing a ton of shopping here and will definitely be avoiding Friday nights and the weekends, but they did have a good selection and a few things we hadn't seen at the grocery stores closer to our house.

3. Sarsa. We'd like to introduce you to Sarsa...a very poplar Polish singer. We know nothing about her except that EVERY time we get into the car - she's on the radio. No lie. Blaine has decided she is his favorite singer at the moment...mainly because I don't think he hears anyone else. And you just have to laugh because Blaine has made up his own "Polish" lyrics which he proudly sings. (I'm sure there would be many Poles laughing hilariously at whatever he is singing!) Anyways...here's her video!

I've got to admit...it's kind of catchy...whatever she's singing about.

4. Farmers Market. So we have a great little farmers market every Wednesday and Saturday that is only 5 minutes away. Right now there are amazing blueberries and raspberries available - with tons of other produce and flowers! We happily stocked up on berries last weekend and Grayson is begging me to make him some blueberry muffins. Maybe this weekend. The other thing I loved about this farmers market is the huge barrels of very garlicky pickles. Yum! Next time we'll be grabbing some of those!

 

5. Orientation at ASW. And last, but not least, today we had orientation at the American School of Warsaw. The school certainly has all of the bells and whistles, although, as a teacher, I'm always a little more cautious as I know that "bells and whistles" are not necessarily an indicator of education quality. But, facility-wise - this place is pretty incredible. The new elementary principal is a graduate of ISKL - which once again goes to show how small the world truly is. Grayson was able to figure out that his teacher is Mr. Benson (class lists are not supposed to be posted until Monday, but names were on the welcome bulletin board to his classroom). Caleb was able to narrow it down to 2 teachers based on his classroom observations. (We know it's nor Mr. Chong due to a class list on the projector in his room.) I just really need my children to come home on Monday and tell me what a great day they had and the names of a few friends they have made and I will know that we'll all be okay.

 

So that is it for the first Fab 5 from Poland. We have a pretty relaxed weekend in front of us. It's a holiday tomorrow and we've got a BBQ tomorrow night. Sunday may just bring about a family day at home or perhaps a little exploring in Warsaw.  Enjoy your weekend!

So far, so good, BUT...

Why does there have to be a "BUT"? Why? Why can't I just tell you how much we love it here? (And, we REALLY do like it here.)

But, there is a "but"...at least for me. I'm struggling a bit. No, not with finding a coffee shop - I'll find one in the next couple of weeks. No, not with making friends - that will come with time. I'm struggling with the language...or, should I say, my lack of ability to speak the language.

Everywhere we go people immediately start conversing with you in Polish. Afterall, we look like like a typical Polish family. And then we smile at them and say that we don't speak Polish (Yes, we say this in English - as we haven't learned that phrase yet!) And they smile back and say something which I optimistically hope translates to: That's okay! You'll learn some Polish soon. But, most likely translates to: WHAT? You don't speak Polish and you live in Poland!? You're an idiot!

I only have a few of the Polish basics in my repertoire right now: Hello, thank you, goodbye, 1, 2, 3, 4, half and quarter. (Yes, that's mainly so I survive at the grocery store and don't have to order a kilogram of ham each time I go to the deli.)

In Kuala Lumpur, English was everywhere. And yes, while we heard Bahasa Malay and Mandarin and French and all sorts of other languages, English was the common language. I had no trepidation about trying to get my point across to anyone because everyone seemed to speak English.

Here, that is not the case.

The other day at the mall here in Warsaw, there was a family in the elevator speaking Spanish. (Yes, Spanish!) I found myself eavesdropping on their conversation because I longed to talk with someone other than my own family members. (I taught one year of introductory Spanish at a small school in Upstate New York which made me capable of this elevator eavesdropping.) So I listened intently with a smile on my face as they chatted among themselves. (Please note that I did refrain from interjecting my thoughts on where they should eat lunch at the mall, although I would recommend Jeff's Bar and Grill for the burgers.)

I knew that Polish would not be like French or Spanish, but this former foreign language teacher was hoping she could draw some similarities. So far, not so much. This one is going to challenge me.

And that's okay. I'll take some Polish lessons and I'll make some Polish friends who will let me practice my meager Polish skills on them (which is bound to be spoken with an American-French accent). Because you know what? I want the superpower, too!

The Poland House...

Happy Monday everyone! The heat continues here in Poland. In fact, Blaine just texted me that the government has announced brownouts due to the heat and the higher demand on the grid, His manufacturing facilities are shut down until 10 p.m. this evening...which I'm sure is making for an interesting day at work. The kids and I have all the lights off and are sitting in front of fans doing our thing...hoping that we don't lose power today.

We had a busy weekend settling the house - which is really what this post is about. After hanging pictures and putting away clothes, we are mostly settled. I have a few wall spaces where I would like some more art, but as that seems to be something we purchase during our travels...I'm going to wait it out.

I put together a little movie to give you a tour! (Please feel free to stop watching once you see the pic of the boys! I just love the song...so I let it play out!)

I have to say that I love that we now have a small backyard (although it's been too flippin' hot to spend any time out there). I think our kitchen is fantastic...which for me was one of the main reasons why I chose this house. And, I love the little touches of our life in KL that have made it to Poland!

The memory wall in our dining room is absolutely my favorite thing right now. I made the middle piece at Tagul (www.tagul.com) over the summer and had it shipped to my parents' home. It was really easy to do (in fact, my kids put me on to this website as they had used it in their technology classes!). The pictures are ones that I  had taken (or my friend, Kirk! Congrats, Kirk! You made it on the wall!) as we traveled Asia. The kids are already asking if we will do another for our time here in Europe.

So the guest room is open and we're officially ready for visitors! Our friend, Jen, is visiting in early September and my parents are coming in December, but that leaves lots of open space on the calendar if you've ever thought of visiting this area in Europe! Just come on!

P.S. I know school starts officially tomorrow at MKIS! Wishing all of our friends there an enjoyable year. We still have one more week before school starts here and then we'll officially be back into a routine! Until then...we're going to sleep in, drink a few extra iced lattes, and enjoy the last of the lazy days of summer.

The Blog Is Back!

Well, after a few amazing weeks of rest, I am back blogging.

We've arrived safely in Poland and the weather is gorgeous - although extremely hot. (Wasn't cooler weather supposed to be one of the "perks" of this move?) School starts on the 17th and we're hoping that the boys will make friends quickly. (We had a few tears last night from our sensitive one about how much he misses his friends. **heartbreaking**) I need to find a coffee shop because blogging from home is just no fun. I much prefer to be distracted with some people watching and a good latte. There's a few things missing for the house, but we'll pick those up while we're out and about this weekend.

And, it will all fall into place...I believe that. (Yes, that's my "We've just moved!" pep talk! This pep talk is crucial for the first 6-8 weeks of a move! If you find me frustrated or crying - please repeat those words to me.)

Okay, and while there will be plenty to share about our new life here in Poland, let's talk about how fabulous summer was!! It was amazing!! There are no adjectives which can adequately describe the 7 weeks at home. After a bit of rain in June, July was just spectacular! Which meant lots of outdoor activities and fun for us!

We golfed - mini, Par 3 and what we refer to as "Big Boy Golf" (that's a full 18 holes on a non-Par 3 course). I've honestly never golfed so much in my entire life! Caleb had his first legitimate par on the "Big Boy" golf course!

We hit the local amusement park several times. Grayson even rode several roller coasters which is a huge step! He did a couple with our friends from Iowa and then my sister-in-law got him on The Comet!

We spent a lot of time with friends and family! (A trip to Maine, boating on Lake George, shopping, Foot Golf, fishing, swimming, eating, drive-in movies! The list is long!)

We did a family 5K together.

We relaxed. And this was something we all needed to do after packing up our belongings in Malaysia and preparing for life here in Poland. It's one of the reasons we love going back to Upstate New York each summer. We can just relax by the water (or in the water) and soak in all that this spectacular little part of the world has to offer.

In fact, we love it here so much that we put in an offer to buy our own house - and it was accepted. Yup, we called a realtor (Thank you Cindy for helping us!), saw a few places and this Gambrel style house will hopefully be ours in October (providing inspections, appraisals and all that sort of stuff goes smoothly!).

So next summer we'll be able to stay in our own house on Hadlock Pond.We'll have a place where we can leave some stuff each summer. A place for friends and family to visit. A place which we will look forward to returning to each year and making more great memories.

P.S. I know it's Friday! Fab 5 Friday will return next week! I promise!